


Palace Rumors

by CobraOnTheCob



Series: Tumblr Zutara Prompts [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ambassador Katara, F/M, Post-War, fic prompt from tumblr, the fire lord has fallen in love with the southern water tribe ambassador!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27543919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobraOnTheCob/pseuds/CobraOnTheCob
Summary: Zuko is on the roof of a bar and he hears people praising Katara.He has to investigate.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Tumblr Zutara Prompts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2003560
Comments: 4
Kudos: 81





	Palace Rumors

**Author's Note:**

> Zuko realizing he's in love with Katara? That's my bread and butter. The people of the Fire Nation loving Katara? That buys me my favorite desserts :3

“To Master Katara!” a drunken cry came up from the bar. Zuko paused on the roof. Why would a bunch of drunken people be cheering Katara’s name? Sure, she was the Ambassador, but - 

“To the Fire Lord Maker!” another cried, and Zuko nearly fell off the roof. Instead, he climbed down into the alley, took off his mask and hid it under his shirt, and drew the hood over his head more before slipping into the bar. 

“Haha, if the rumors from the palace are true,” one patron tittered, “In a few years, she might be again! OW! What was that for?!” He cried, as he looked at his friend who swatted him on the arm. 

“Don’t speak about her like that!” his friend scolded, and Zuko realized what the patron was implying and blushed. He sat down in a dark corner, not wishing to interact with the other patrons as he wished to listen in on their conversations.

“My bad,” the patron that got swatted said, “But you can’t deny it - she’d make an _amazing_ Fire Lady. Fuck the nobles except for Zuko, spirits know that the poor kid’s going to be grey before his twenty-fifth birthday! So young, and the world is stealing his youth!” The patron does a dramatic swoon as he speaks his last sentence. Zuko subconsciously touched his hair. Was that why Iroh kept giving him strong teas?

“Oh quit your poetry, Isami!” the friend says, “But you’re right, she would be amazing for him.”

“You wound me, Katsuya,” Isami says, “Poetry’s the only thing that keeps me going after the war.” 

“We’ll get you a job that’ll accomodate you,” Katsuya says softly, and Zuko realizes that Isami is missing his right forearm.

“I hope so,” Isami says, “But for now, let’s forget about the world troubles and thank the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador that saved our Fire Lord’s life five years ago! To Fire Lord Maker Katara, defeator of prodigy Princess Azula on the day of the Comet!” Cheers went up from other patrons, and Zuko was stunned at the strong support of Katara from these people. Zuko felt weird to cheer with the rest of the patrons, but his cover would be blown if he didn’t, so he joined in, using his voice to thank Katara for her actions. As the cheers died down, he watched as Isami and Katsuya began to talk again.

“Imagine what it’d do to the Fire Nation if the rumors are true,” Katsuya comments, and Zuko’s interest rises higher than the clouds, “If the palace gossip is to be believed, some of the staff could swear they saw the Fire Lord and Ambassador look at each other for a little too long.”

“Oh?” Isami giggles, “Oh really? Is that where we’re at now? Lingering glances?”

“What more do you want? They’re still young, I’d be surprised if they were official already.” Zuko nearly fell out of his chair. Him and Katara? Noooo...he just...liked her as a very good friend -

_Fuck._

Maybe he was staring a bit too long, and maybe she held his gaze as a challenge…

He has to get out of here.

He leaves the bar and slips into the alleyway, once more donning his mask before leaping to the roof and just _runs_.

Unfortunately, he has practically memorized every single rooftop, so his thoughts are overtaken by _Katara, Katara, Katara,_ and all he can think about is her fierce ocean blue eyes, her waterbending stances, the strength in her voice as she pushed for reforms that’ll benefit not just the Southern Water Tribe, but the Fire Nation and the world as well, and how her - 

His feet lead him home, to his own gardens, and he sees the perfect flowers. 

He’ll have to thank the gardeners later.

**Author's Note:**

> haha instead of the traditional _oh_...it's something else 
> 
> Also I just made Katsuya and Isami just for this fic and I love them. At this rate my background characters are going to multiply like a bacteria and i am going to scream.


End file.
